Parallel
by Dr. Sipp
Summary: Amy Rose's murder is just the first of a line of crimes, committed by.. Sonic? Who is it that's trying to frame him? Why doesn't anyone believe his innocence? And to what lengths will he go to prove himself? Old, needs some revision. [KatC]
1. Chapter 1

Sonic, Metal Sonic, etc are © to Sega.  
Eliza, etc are © to me. Don't use them without my permission.  
**Eliza is pronounced é-lee-za**, I'm persistent bugger, aren't I?  
There are many people I'd like to dedicate this story to, but I have to narrow it down to four.  
Metara, NetRaptor, Faker, and Jamie Swiftrunner. Those four are a few of the biggest Metal fans I know. And NR, I believe, was the one who first established the personalities of Metal Sonic and Metal Knuckles we use. So, you four, this is for you, enjoy!  
The lovely MS2 is my proofreader, so fear her and love her ^^;  
  
  
_Two sides of the same coin.  
_  
"The view is beautiful…" Amy Rose leaned forward against the railing, taking an eye full of the scenery. Her eyes dipped lower, however, and her heart gave a lurch.  
It was a long way down…  
  
"Indeed," agreed another, more masculine voice.  
  
She glanced at the newcomer.  
  
"Oh, hi, Sonic. Come to enjoy the view with me?"  
  
He nodded, curtly, and she returned to sight-seeing.  
  
He stood by her.  
  
"Do you want to go higher?"  
  
"Well, I-"  
  
Before she could finish, he had seized her by the waist, and hoisted her up into the air.  
  
"Uh… Sonic… It's okay, I'm fine down there."  
  
He ignored her, stepping forward.  
  
"Sonic?" she squirmed in his grip, "Put me down."  
  
A sadistic grin crossed his features.  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
His tone made her blood run cold.  
  
"S-sonic?"  
  
He coiled his arms back, and threw.  
  
A high pitched scream tore through the air as Amy Rose plummeted to her death.  
  
**Parallel  
  
**"Sit down," Sally Acorn instructed, quietly.  
  
Noticing the graveness in her tone, the other Freedom Fighters obeyed without comment, eyes on the Princess.  
  
Sonic noted that Amy Rose was not among them.  
  
"I've got some terrible news," Sally intoned, clasping her hands together tightly.  
  
"Now, hold on just minute, hon," interrupted Bunnie Rabbot, in her thick southern accent, "We can't start no meeting! Amy Rose isn't here."  
  
The squirrel sighed.  
  
"That's just it, Bunnie… Amy has been murdered."  
  
Silence reigned.  
  
Shock swept over all the members.  
  
Tails spoke up.  
  
"A-are you sure?" he nearly squeaked.  
  
"I'm afraid so."  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog's emerald green eyes burned with a fire of pure hatred. He spoke but one word.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"We don't really know," the Princess bit her lip, "But witnesses said it was a blue hedgehog who threw her over the edge.  
  
All eyes turned to Sonic.  
  
"I-I would never!" he protested, ears flattening back.  
  
"Menteur," spat Antoine, "You have said yourself that she is annoying!"  
  
"That was, like, six months ago! When she kept clinging to me and never allowed me to breath!"  
  
Antoine didn't seem convinced.  
  
"Princess, you must kill him, before he kills us all!"  
  
The entire conference room erupted into loud arguing, some agreeing with Antoine, some with Sonic.  
  
"Freedom Fighters!" yelled Sally, but the noise level drowned out her words. She glanced to Bunnie desperately for help, who winked, then slammed her robotic fist down on the table.  
  
All noise ceased.  
  
"Thank you," Sally exhaled, then stood up, "They said blue hedgehog. There are hundreds of blue hedgehogs. Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions, and for crying out loud, stop acting like a bunch of children! Dismissed!"  
  
She left them there, Bunnie and Sonic following.  
  
"Honestly," muttered Sally venomously, "I say 'blue hedgehog' and they all start screaming bloody murder," she paused, "No pun intended. I want the Chaotix."  
  
"No, you don't. Knux and Az are psychopaths, Mighty's an angstball, Eliza's pure evil, Espio is the self-proclaimed king of sarcasm, Ray is Espio's dark apprentice, and I'm not even getting into Vector. Charmy is the smart one, he left."  
  
"Last time I checked," corrected Sally, "Charmy was forced to leave."  
  
Sonic dropped the subject, looking directly into her eyes.  
  
"I'd never hurt Amy…"  
  
She tried a smile.  
  
"I know."  
  
He let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"Thank God."  
  
"You've got a lot of enemies, Sonic," she told him, gravely, "I'm sure quite a few of them would be happy to try and frame you."  
  
"Thanks, Sal."  
  
She flashed him a smile.  
  
***  
  
Amy's funeral was long and painful. Most people stayed silent, but a handful of them argued. Sonic received many dirty looks.  
  
It was Tails who was to give the speech. 

  
He stood on the platform, fumbling with the cue cards in his hands, mouth before the microphone.  
  
"Amy Rose… was like a sister to us all. She was a tender, car-caring…"  
  
The fox choked up. He tried to brush the tears away, unsuccessfully, then backed down, hands in his face. Sally was at his side immediately, hugging him and rubbing his head comfortingly.  
  
"It'll be alright."  
  
Sonic tasted bile in his mouth. He headed over to where the Chaotix was conversing.  
  
"She was an innocent," Knuckles snarled, "When I get my hands on the sucker who did this-"

"Knux," interrupted Espio, "Calm down, a funeral is no place for anger."  
  
"You expect me not to be mad?"  
  
"No, I expect you not to hide your true feelings behind a mask of anger."  
  
The echidna's mouth opened to argue, but Espio cut him off swiftly.  
  
"Amy would have wanted you to be honest with yourself."  
  
He folded his arms, defeated.  
  
"I'm going to get a drink," he said sullenly, and left, an unreadable expression on his face.  
  
Sonic felt Az's lime green eyes on him, scrutinizing him. Did she suspect him? He shifted his feet, uneasy.  
  
"Sonic," Mighty greeted.  
  
"I'm sorry about Amy," added Az, tone soft.  
  
"Thanks… mind if I join in?"  
  
"Not at all," supplied Espio, sitting down on one of the chairs. The others followed suit.  
  
"The witnesses said 'blue hedgehog'," pointed out the hybrid, looking directly at Sonic again.  
  
His ears flattened, and he regarded her with dead eyes.  
  
"I would never hurt Amy," he said quietly.  
  
"Not saying you did," now it was Espio's turn to glance at him.  
  
"But you believe it," Sonic felt a rage boil within himself, "Everyone believes it! They're all giving me dirty looks," he turned directly to Az, and his eyes flashed, "-or scrutinizing me."  
  
"I've done nothing to incriminate you," responded Az, in a forced-calm tone.  
  
"Other than looking me as if I'm some kind of criminal!" the hedgehog screeched.  
  
"Sonic, we realize you're upset, but-"  
  
"No," hissed the blue teenager, "You REALIZE nothing. You don't know how it feels to have someone you swore to protect, someone who was like a SISTER you murdered in cold blood, and then everyone pointing fingers at YOU!" He was nearly screaming by now, eyes welling up with tears. He stood up, and turned to stomp off, but a hand clasped down on his arm, pulling him down.  
  
"Don't assume," breathed Mighty, loud enough for them to hear, "That you're the only one here who has suffered, Takeshi. Remember Fiona?"  
  
"It's- it's not the same!"  
  
Their eyes met, and the armadillo's were cold and empty.  
  
"There are several examples I could use if you wish to pursue this," he continued, "But right now I will stay with Fiona and… Melissa."  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog choked down a sob.  
  
"That-that was your fault."  
  
The Chaotix glanced at them both, puzzled.  
  
"Yes," replied the armadillo softly, "It was my fault. I've had to live with that for the past three years. But how she died was not my fault nor yours."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
He released the hedgehog.  
  
"I'm… going to go," stated the hedgehog quickly, and was gone without another word.  
  
"What was that about?" questioned Espio.  
  
"Nothing important."  
  
"Wish I had your self-control," commented Az, arms folded.  
  
He ignored her.  
  
"So," Espio gazed at him with mild interest, "Who's Melissa?"  
  
"One day maybe you'll know. Until then, don't mention her to Sonic."  
  
Mighty stood up, and started to leave, but the chameleon spoke up.  
  
"Atleast tell me one thing- what was her last name?"  
  
Michael turned.  
  
"Rose."  
  
***  
  
The bright red eyes of Metal Sonic flickered, taking in the scenery of Robotropolis with mild disinterest. SWATbots patrolled down the alleyways in troupes, their clanking footsteps resounding in chorus. Black smoke billowed from the factories, curling up into puffs as it ascended to the dark skies.  
  
Everything was in functioning order.  
  
Metal Sonic hovered over the city, optics darting left and right to scrutinize.  
  
The only sentient creatures in Robotropolis were Robo Knuckles; his 'brother', and himself.  
  
Dr. Robotnik was away. He was attending to other bases, and mentioned something about another Metallix unit. In his absence, he had left orders to the two robots- to keep the city running, defend it, and do nothing else. At first Metal thought RK was going to take it for himself, but he didn't. In fact, he didn't do much other than sitting around and brooding. He had not left the city, and he was very irate; Metal suspected it had something to do with the Spyre girl. In any case, he reasoned that RK was best left alone. He was the more powerful of the two robots and Dr. Robotnik was not there to keep him from attacking Metal. Besides, Robo Knuckles didn't interest him much.  
There was not much to do other than supervise, and Metal found himself beginning to feel another mobian emotion, boredom.  
  
A crabmeat approached Metal Sonic, tapping at his foot impatiently.  
The robot glanced down.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Sir," stated the crabmeant, its voice squeaky yet somehow emotionless, "We have apprehended a prisoner."  
  
One of the crimson eyes brightened, the robot's version of raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Follow me."  
  
A prisoner, mused the blue robot, hovering after the crabmeat. Yes, that was exactly what was needed, someone to toy with, to pass the time. With any luck, it would be the hedgehog…  
  
He arrived at the dungeons, and the crabmeat lifted a claw, pointing towards an occupied cell. The mecha paced closer.  
  
The sleeping form of a small, red, echidna was curled up in the corner.  
So much for that idea…  
  
The child began to stir.  
  
"...Nashi?" he heard her murmur.  
  
"Your brother is not here," he replied calmly.  
  
She turned over, body language portraying alarm.  
  
"Then where--?"  
  
"The floor of a cell in the dungeons of Robotropolis."  
  
She jerked upright, gasping, then calmed herself quickly, glancing at him.  
  
"Metal," she acknowledged.  
  
"Eliza," he answered.

Her eyes flickered about the cell, taking in the scenery.  
  
"How did I get here?"  
  
"I would like to know the same thing."  
  
"One minute I was asleep in my bed, next…"  
  
"SWATbots found her unconscious in Sector B-Twelve," pointed out the crabmeat, "They identified a blue figure dropping her there."  
  
Metal Sonic processed this.  
  
Blue figure?  
  
"I suppose… you can't let me go," there was nothing in her tone, no remorse, pleading, just apathy.  
  
"No, he agreed, "I cannot."  
  
"So what's going to happen to me? Roboticization?"  
  
"No," ceded the robot, "Dr. Robotnik may find you useful as a hostage. You will remain here until he returns."  
  
Her face betrayed surprise.  
  
"You mean he isn't back yet?"  
  
His reply was cut short by another voice, whose owner appeared nearby, grinning maliciously.  
  
"I've got a better idea."  
  
Eliza's eyes widened in pure horror as she recognized the owner of the voice.  
  
Robo Knuckles shifted to beside his brother, sporting a truly terrifying expression.  
  
"Hello, Mizu."  
  
He saw her shuffle away, trying desperately to contain her fright, though it was still visible.  
She was trapped, caged in with nothing behind her but walls.  
He felt pity for the little thing.  
She seemed to sense this and stared at him with big, blue, pleading eyes.  
He jerked his head away.  
He did not need to look at her to know she had accepted her defeat, dipping her head down.  
  
"Do not kill her," he instructed his brother, "And leave her alone for tonight."  
  
Pushing the annoying little emotion called 'guilt' out of his mind, he stalked outside, leaving his brother with the freshly acquired prey.  
  
***  
  
"Are you sure it was Sonic?" questioned Knuckles, pacing back and forth.  
  
"No doubt about it. He took her while she was sleeping. I tried to stop him…" the crocodile glanced down at himself, eyeing the injuries; slashes, bruises, and there were even small chunks of flesh missing.  
  
"Positively sure?"  
  
"Knux, I know what I saw."  
  
The echidna pressed his hands together, sighing loudly, and plopped down on the bed.  
  
"What could he possibly want...?"  
  
He was answered with silence.  
  
"This makes no sense…"

  
"One thing's for sure," piped up Ray, "First Amy, now Eliza… we'd better start watching our backs."  
  
"And speaking of back," added Espio, "Az isn't here."  
  
"She was at home," supplied Knux, though his brow furrowed and the corner of his mouth twitched.  
  
"I'll call her."  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
"I understand," breathed Az into the receiver, "Thanks a bunch, Soul."  
  
She hung up.  
  
The mystery had been solved.  
She knew the truth.  
And Knothole needed to know, too.  
  
She turned to leave, but the phone rang once again.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Az!" Espio seemed relieved at the sound of her voice.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"I tried to call, but the line was busy."  
  
"Was talking with Soul, friend of mine. He told me about the Sonic situation."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"I know the truth. I'm on my way to the Freedom Fighters now, can't talk."  
  
"Alright. And Az?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Be careful."  
  
"Aww, you sound worried," she teased, "What's the matter, are you sick or something?"  
  
He was about to reply indignantly, but she cut him off.  
  
"I will be. Bye, 'cuz."  
  
The phone went dead.  
  
Heeding the chameleon's warning, she sheathed a scimitar over her back, and took off running.  
  
As she progressed to the communication room, her flight slowed to a jog, then to a walk.  
  
The atmosphere was eerily silent, and despite her cheerful attitude towards Espio, she was beginning to feel nervous.  
  
Her lime green eyes darted about, searching for any cause of alarm.  
  
When she found nothing, she chided herself for her paranoia.  
  
Still, the hybrid couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
The sound of her own voice seemed to quell her fears.  
Until she sensed movement.  
Very fast movement, a slight wing tugged at her-  
She was not alone.  
  
Her hand gripped the hilt of her scimitar.  
  
"I know you're there," her voice boasted confidence she was lacking in, "Come out."  
  
Obedience.  
  
Another tug of wind at her, and in front of her appeared a blue hedgehog.  
  
"At your service," grinned the figure toothily.  
  
"I know who you are," she said in a forcefully calm tone, drawing the scimitar from its sheath.  
  
"Too bad you will be the only one to know, Guardian."  
  
Her heart fluttered for an instant.  
  
He knew.  
  
She cursed inwardly.  
  
He KNEW! He knew all along- this was a trap- this was…  
  
A slow, malicious smile crossed the hedgehog's face as he saw horror appear in her eyes.  
  
"So you've realized, my dear."  
  
"You're not going to get away with this," she growled, ignoring the general corniness of that sentence, "They'll find out."  
  
"Ohh…" corrected the hedgehog, "Yes, yes they will. But when they do, it will be too late."  
  
Her grip on the blade tightened, and he saw icy determinations in her pale features.  
  
"And, now, my dear- _You die._"  
  
She knew he was going to lunge. It was that knowledge that prompted her to throw herself sideways. Which she did. A millisecond before he did lunge.  
  
He shot past her, his speed silently closing the outcome of the match.  
  
She swung the scimitar around her, gaining speed, using it as a shield, and hurtled towards him.  
  
In a flash he was behind her, ducking under the path of the curved sword, and ramming bodily into her.  
  
She was skinny, and so, overwhelmed by his weight, went flying.  
  
Somehow, amidst her surprise, she managed to keep her grip steady on her weapon, whirling around to face the hedgehog, who was grinning ferally, and began to run. He circled around her, increasing speed until he was nothing but a blur, all around her.  
  
"Nice try."  
  
Az Spyre, was, after all, half-chameleon.  
She camouflaged.  
  
His smirk grew wider, and he curled himself into a spiny ball, launching himself in the direction of the area she had been, only a few seconds prior.  
  
When he hit nothing, he circled again, and came at her. This time, his spines glanced off of metal.  
She gasped, losing her concentration, and appeared again.  
He grinned and lunged.  
  
Az barely managed to throw her scimitar up, before razor sharp spines slammed again it.  
  
She seemed to hold him off, and for a second, he was there, suspended in mid air, trying to force his way past her blade.  
  
Then, the strain became too much.  
  
The scimitar went flying from her hand, and he collided with her, spines digging into her body, and at the same time shoving her back.  
  
He uncurled and landed, and she went soaring, slamming violently against the wall. Afterwards, she crumpled to the ground, looking like a broken doll.  
Blood began to pour out of her wounds, slowly at first, and he retrieved the scimitar, and paced towards her, with deliberate, slow, steps.  
  
She slipped her hands under her torso, to the ground, and started pushing herself upright.  
  
His foot came down upon her, slamming her to the ground.  
  
She gave a gasp, clawed at the ground before her, reaching for her weapon.  
  
He held it above her body. For a minute, it hung in midair, as he considered something.  
Then, it came down like a hammer, piercing her through the mid-side.  
  
She gasped again, breathing ragged.  
  
Red blood seeped out in earnest now, as he bent down to look her in the eye.  
  
She spluttered out something, but he ignored her, running his hand through her hair, almost gently.  
  
Red haze began to cloud her vision, and she vaguely felt his lips upon her ears.  
  
He breathed a whisper into her ear.  
  
"They will not know, Guardian."  
  
That was the last thing she heard.  
  
***  
  
"Do you know where Az is?" questioned Knuckles, mouth twisted into a hybrid of a scowl and a frown.  
  
Espio glanced up from the book he was reading.  
  
"She had information about the situation that she wanted to share with Knothole."  
  
"When was this?"  
  
Knuckles stood up.  
  
"About an hour ago."  
  
His frown seemed to deepen. He picked up the phone and called the Freedom Fighters.  
  
Sally answered.  
  
"Az? No, she's not here… in fact, I don't think she came at all. I certainly haven't seen her."  
  
The volume was loud enough for both of them to hear.  
  
Espio seemed to become part of the ground, amber eyes wide.  
They stared at each other, horror in both faces.  
Knuckles dropped the phone.  
  
"NO!"  
  
Five minutes later found them scrutinizing the trail to the communication room.  
  
Knuckles had not spoken after his outburst. He stalked along, nearly mechanically, occasionally sniffing for any whiff of her scent. His sense of smell did no good, though, the place was full of too many to catch onto hers. So he instead kept walking, eyes darting left and right.  
  
And then he stopped.  
So abruptly, that Espio bumped into him.  
  
"Knux?" he inquired, "What is it?"  
  
"Blood," hissed the echidna, "Blood and her scent."  
  
Espio bit his lip, and they progressed.  
  
She was lying on her front, surrounded by a pool of her own blood. The single scimitar protruded from her back, looking like a flag of sort. The ground seemed to have blocked the flow of blood.  
However, she was in bad shape, with sharp blue quills sticking out in random directions.  
  
With a stone face, Knuckles slid to her, and gently began removing the spines. Espio watched, too much in shock to do anything else.  
  
Once spine free, he placed a hand on her back, then gripped the scimitar and yanked it free.  
Blood began pouring anew. He removed his glove, something Espio had not seen him do before, and placed his hand over the wound, using it to grasp her and lift her.  
  
"That's disgusting," Espio said quietly.  
  
"Third one," was all Knux said, drawing her into his arms.  
  
"Knux… this isn't the work of Sonic."  
  
"The hell it isn't, Espio. I can smell his scent on her. Look at the spines. Look at these wounds. He obviously used speed against her."  
  
"Knux…"  
  
The echidna looked up, violet eyes burning with a cold fire.  
  
"Three women. Two were children. That's who he attacked."  
  
"This looks like something RK would do."  
  
The echidna brushed by him.  
  
"RK doesn't shroud himself in mystery. He's arrogant. He has a mark he always leaves on his victims."  
  
"It's not Sonic," the chameleon repeated steadily, though he knew it was in vain.  
  
Knuckles was mad. And not that drop-of-the-hat angry he usually became, real angry. Smoldering rage.  
  
"I want answers, Espio," said Anashi, gritting his sharp teeth, "I want BLOOD, for this. Red blood. Red blood on blue spines."  
  
He turned on his heel and stalked away, arms still holding the fallen hybrid.  
  
He walked with quick, heavy, aggressive strides, occasionally glancing down at Az's pale face.  
  
He ran his gloveless fingers gently up her face, then through her hair, amethyst eyes softening slightly. However, when he finished, his expression was harder than ever.  
  
"This time you've gone too far, hedgehog," he muttered, and his hands clenched into tight fists.


	2. Chapter 2

Sonic, Metal Sonic, etc are © to Sega.  
Eliza, etc are © to me. Don't use them without my permission.  
**Eliza is pronounced é-lee-za**, I'm persistent bugger, aren't I?  
There are many people I'd like to dedicate this story to, but I have to narrow it down to four.  
Metara, NetRaptor, Faker, and Jamie Swiftrunner. Those four are a few of the biggest Metal fans I know. And NR, I believe, was the one who first established the personalities of Metal Sonic and Metal Knuckles we use. So, you four, this is for you, enjoy!  
MS2, again, proofreader. Love her, ph33r her.  
  
_Two sides of the same coin._  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog sighed, sitting on his bed lightly, arms around his torso tightly.  
  
Things were getting worse and worse…  
  
Less people believed his innocence. Everyone was shooting him suspicious looks. Even Sally was starting to avoid him. The only one who was confident of his innocent was Tails, and went around proclaiming so whenever someone would accuse him. That helped things, at least...  
  
He hadn't left his hut all day.  
  
Amy, and now Eliza. They were going after the weaker ones…  
And more people pointed fingers at him.  
  
He was getting to the point where he couldn't take it anymore.  
  
The door slammed open.  
  
Emerald green eyes flickered up to take in the burst of light, and new presence.  
  
"Hey, Knux," he said lowly.  
  
The echidna entered with one fluid motion, glaring down at the hedgehog.  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"Where is-"  
  
Before the hedgehog could finish, he found himself being grabbed and slammed against the wall.  
He choked, glancing at the Guardian hazily, gloved hand clutching at Knux's, which was curled around the hedgehog's throat like a python, cutting off his oxygen supply.  
  
"Kn-knux!" he croaked.  
  
Knuckles tugged the hedgehog forward slightly, until they were nose-to-nose.  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"Wh-who?"  
  
Sonic found himself being slammed violently into the wall.

He let out a hybrid between a gasp and a squeak, clawing at Knuckles.  
  
"Kn-"  
  
Anashi's cold voice cut him off. It was quiet, but projected around the hut.  
  
"My sister."  
  
"I… I…"  
  
The echidna loosened his grip lightly, amethyst eyes burning into the troubled emerald ones of the hedgehog.  
  
"--Don't know!"  
  
Another slam. The building shook.  
  
"Wrong answer," hissed the echidna.  
  
Sonic swore he could see the corners of Knux's mouth turn up in a slight smirk.  
  
"Let's try again, shall we?"  
  
"I don't know," Sonic's own gaze was steady now, his voice stronger.  
  
Another slam.  
  
"I'm going to make you an offer," the Guardian's tone was calm, but a forced, dangerous calm, "You tell me what you did with Eliza- I will let you live."  
  
Sonic opened his mouth to protest, but an increase in pressure from Knuckles pushed him back into silence. Knuckles leaned forward again, eyes meeting and holding Sonic's in place.  
Knuckles's eyes were not expressive, but if all else failed, they could be used to detect differences in stages of anger. The irises themselves were pretty things- a light violet in colour. But the shape… the shape, narrow slanted, dangerous. The eyes of a seasoned warrior- of a killer. Even the irises, pretty as they were, were like chips of purple ice. Cold, always cold, and hard, betraying nothing.  
For those eyes to soften was a rare thing.  
And now they were burning. A fire was inside of them. They were rippling, almost flashing. Sonic wasn't familiar with Knuckles, or his emotions… but even he knew what those eyes meant.  
Knuckles was out for blood.  
  
"If I don't get the answer I want," continued the echidna, posture tight as he held Sonic in the air, "Then I will snap your neck in two, hedgehog."  
  
The smirk was gone now, and one look at the red teenager's face assured Sonic that he was not joking.  
  
Something welled up inside of him, and before he could stop himself, he had replied with a cool retort of:  
  
"You seem to know a lot torture. I suppose Metal taught you a thing or two?"  
  
Another slam, this one harder. He had probably hit a sensitive spot. Sonic was beyond caring now. The pain was numbing out, leaving him with nothing but the echidna in front of him- and a deep, blossoming rage in his heart, which was forced its way out.  
  
"Let me rephrase that," the hedgehog's tone dripped with sarcasm, "Maybe you taught him a thing or two."  
  
And his back collided with the wall again, so hard, he swore that a rib had been crushed in the process. He gasped and wheezed.  
But still he felt no pain.  
  
The rage inside of him was filling him, taking over him.  
  
"If you're so tough-" he shrieked, "Why don't you let me down and fight like a man instead of a coward!"  
  
Sonic got his wish.  
And regretted it, too, as he was flung bodily across the hut, slamming into yet another wall, and then his face greeted the floor.  
  
"Get up, you piece of scum," snarled Knuckles, fists clenched into balls.  
  
Sonic obeyed, and in his eyes were twin emerald flames.  
He remembered Az, looking at him with those suspicious eyes- and growled. She had turned Knux against him! She had suspected him all along!  
  
"Az put you up to this, didn't she?!"  
  
Something flickered in Knux's stoic face, but then it hardened into ice.  
  
"Az is in the hospital," it was a simple statement, but there was enough ice in his voice to freeze the Island, "Serious injuries, unconscious."  
  
The rage faded into wisps, giving way to shock. Without the adrenalin to protect his body, the pain flooded back in torrents, and he slumped, wincing.  
  
"Wh-what?!"  
  
Az… in the hospital… he was beginning to feel nauseated.  
  
"She was badly injured," continued the echidna, and there was venom behind his cold words, "One scimitar through her stomach, beaten up, and blue quills beside her."  
  
The hedgehog faltered.  
  
"Knux, I-"  
  
"You're going to _pay_," growled the echidna, advancing on him as a predator would do to a prey.  
  
"I didn't do it!" yelped Sonic, but Knuckles was not listening.  
  
The echidna surged forwards, fists outstretched.  
  
Sonic danced back.  
  
"Knux, I would never-"  
  
"Shut up!" spat the echidna, the spiked hand slamming into Sonic's stomach, "DIE."  
  
The cobalt hedgehog rolled out of the way just in time, avoiding twin knuckle claws raining down upon him, and delivered a swift kick to Knux's chest.  
  
The Guardian stumbled back, momentarily caught off guard, and then he snarled, and threw himself at the green-eyed teenager, catching him around the throat again. His fingers dug into the flesh as he dragged the hedgehog forward, until Sonic felt hot breath on his face, and pressure of his neck.  
  
"Kn-knux-" the hedgehog spluttered.  
  
"DIE."  
  
The pressure tightened, and Sonic fought against it, throwing his weight at the Guardian, but it did no good.  
  
Splotches of red began to appear before his eyes- and he attempted to reason with Knux again.  
  
"Kn-knux-" it came out as a wheeze, barely audible, but he knew Knuckles could hear him. He just chose not to answer.  
  
His lungs screamed for air, but Anashi wouldn't grant him any mercy.  
  
And Sonic, going near delirious, could swear that he had seen Knuckles smile.  
  
A burst of inspiration came to the hedgehog, and he swung his legs up, and dipped his head down.  
  
Knuckles, surprised, loosened his grip.  
  
That was all Sonic needed.  
  
He curled up into ball, the long, sharp spines slashing down Knux's arm.  
  
He cursed and dropped Sonic.  
  
The hedgehog completed his body formation, spindashing towards the Guardian, blood pounding and swirling around in his head. Knuckles darted out of the way.  
  
From the corner of his eye he saw Bunnie, leaping towards Knuckles, robotic hand out and heading for him. He dodged, again, it clamped down on thin air. He was too fast. Like a whirlwind, he darted out of harm's path, and ploughed into Sonic. Despite his speed, the hedgehog was unable to stop him, and was knocked over.  
  
He didn't even get the chance to retaliate before Knuckles was upon him, grabbing him around the neck, and shoving him down. His eyes were twin coals, cold and cruel, slanted and twisted.  
  
"Die," the echidna hissed, increasing the pressure on the other boy's throat.  
  
Sonic choked and convulsed, arms flailing in the air.  
His vision blurred, exploded into black-  
And then, it stopped.  
Knux's grip went slack and Sonic collapsed, drinking in air.  
Knuckles crumpled to the ground, unconscious, and Mighty stood over him.  
  
"You okay?" he inquired of the hedgehog, offering a hand to him.  
He took it, gratefully, and stood up.  
  
"That was freaky."  
  
Mighty nodded, glancing down at Knux, and Sonic steadied himself.  
  
"What happened to him?"  
  
"He's worried," replied Mighty, "First Amy, now Eliza's missing and Az is in the hospital. He went over the edge."  
  
"Wh-what happened with Az?"  
  
"Espio said that she knew what was going on, and was heading to Knothole to tell you guys about it. Then, about an hour afterwards, he and Knux found her, beaten up, with blue spines near her body and a scimitar through her mid-side."  
  
The hedgehog paled, and gasped.  
  
"That's horrible! I would never-"  
  
Mighty nodded.  
  
"I know."  
  
"And even if I did, I wouldn't leave spines… it's too obvious. It was planted."  
  
"Knux said he smelled your scent on her."  
  
"Of course! It was all planted, it's a set up! They're trying to frame me!"  
  
"Whoever it is, is rather intelligent, he turned Knux against you."  
  
"And the Freedom Fighters," muttered the hedgehog.  
  
"Az knew the truth."  
  
He gazed down at Knux.  
  
"Whoever it is knows everything we're doing… watching us."  
  
"We need to get to the bottom of this."  
  
"Thanks so much for your support, Mighty."  
  
The armadillo smiled.  
  
"Anytime."  
  
He bent down, and picked Knux up, slinging him over his shoulder, and turned to leave.  
  
"Mighty… wait."  
  
He paused.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Take care of yourself… you might be next."  
  
Mighty gave a little chuckle, and Sonic could have sworn he heard a tint of bitterness.  
  
"I doubt they'd have the nerve to try me."  
  
"RK did…"  
  
"To eliminate me," countered the teenager, "And RK is arrogant; he didn't hide his identity or lurk in the shadows."  
  
"Still…"  
  
Michael gave him a wry smile.  
  
"Alright. See you."  
  
He left.  
  
Bunnie approached him from behind.  
  
"You okay, sugah?"  
  
"Fine…"  
  
He rubbed his arm; only now his body was feeling sore from the abuse it had suffered.  
  
"You know… it was rather… convenient of Mighty… to be there to stop Knux from finishing you off…"  
  
Sonic blinked.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"He came just in time… as if he knew what was gonna happen…"  
  
Sonic felt a defensive streak rise up in him.  
  
"What are you trying to say?!"  
  
Bunnie shook her head.  
  
"Nothin', hon. Sorry, all of this is making me edgy."  
  
"Me too," agreed Sonic, "C'mon, let's go help with the supper preparations."  
  
"Ah'll call Dr. Quack… invite him for supper, then he can get a good look at you."  
  
***  
  
Dr. Quack, a quiet, middle-aged duck, arrived just as supper began.  
  
He was nearly missed amidst all the chattering and bustling, but Sally noticed him, and stood to greet him. In doing so, she knocked over her glass, which spilled over the table cloth. The fabric of the cloth dissolved, leaving holes in the cloth.  
Sally gasped, and the room went silent.  
  
"What the—"  
  
Dr. Quack hastily made his way to the Princess, examining the cloth. He reached into his bag, pulled out a thin, rolled up sheet of papyrus paper. He dipped it into the liquid, and it went a deep red.  
  
"Nitric acid," the duck announced.  
  
Silence reigned.  
  
"You're lucky it spilled, princess."  
  
"B-but-" she gasped, "W-who?"  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog suddenly felt several pairs of eyes on him.  
  
"I would never!" he squeaked, backing away.  
  
"Where could the culprit could have possibly found nitric acid?" demanded Quack.  
  
"Follow me," said Sally breathlessly, shakily exiting. Dr. Quack, Sonic, Bunnie, and a few other Freedom Fighters followed after him, stopping in front of a chemical cabinet.  
Quack flung the little doors open, and pulled out a small bottle of nitric acid. The cap was loose.  
  
"Look!"  
  
Bunnie pointed inside the cabinet, behind where the bottle had been located.  
  
"There's something there."  
  
A lone blue quill was there, sprawled across the plank.  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog felt several pairs of eyes on him.  
  
That night:  
  
Miles "Tails" Prower shivered in his sleep, grasping the sheets around him tightly.  
  
He was having a nightmare.  
  
Someone appeared above him, and in the dim lighting he could make out emerald green eyes.  
  
"S-sonic?" the little fox whimpered.  
  
The eyes glinted, and a smirk accompanied them.  
  
"Hello, little buddy."  
  
Tails felt himself being grabbed around the throat, and lifted into the air, covers flopping back onto the bed.  
  
"S-sonic… wh-what are you doing?"  
  
The kitsune squeaked, and the blue hedgehog tightened his grip.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Gasping for air, Tails clawed at the air, at him, tears of pain springing to his eyes.  
  
"S-sonic? Pl-please stop… Y-you're h-hurting me."  
  
Tails found himself being slammed against the hard part of the bed.  
  
He let out a shuddering sob, terrified out of his mind.  
  
"It-it's j-just a dream, that's all, a l-little dream…"  
  
The blue hedgehog leered.  
  
"A dream, eh, boy?"  
  
The tips of his fingers pressed against the soft fur of Miles's throat harshly, and the fox whimpered.  
  
"A dr-dream… I'm… I'm gonna wake up s-soon…."  
  
The blue hedgehog laughed, a harsh, grating sound that did not match his soft face.  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
And the grip was tightened so much Tails almost blacked out. He squirmed and writhed in the bigger Mobian's grip, and then the grip loosened, enough for him to breath.  
  
"Y-you're n-not Sonic!" he squeaked, "S-sonic would never h-hurt me!"  
  
"Oh, I'm not, am I?  
  
"N-no!" but the little boy's voice was weak.  
  
Tails was raised, his nose pressed against the muzzle of the blue hedgehog, and he stared into those glinting green eyes.  
  
His eyes trailed downwards, right from the emerald green eyes, to the long blue spines, to the peach underbelly, to the gloved hands, to the red-and-white sneakers.  
  
"S-sonic," he choked.  
  
And then he screamed.  
  
And the blue hedgehog was gone.

  
***  
  
Morning touched the city of Robotropolis.  
  
The sun was hard to see through the smog the city created, but Metal Sonic didn't care. He was not interested in staring at an abnormally bright ball of gas.  
However, there was little else to do.  
He toured the city, and watching the SWATbots patrol.  
Nothing was out of the ordinary.  
  
A spark of guilt ignited in him, telling him to go check on the prisoner.  
He disregarded the 'guilt' stiffly, but decided it was a good idea to check on her anyway.  
As he walked, he felt another emotion rise up in him, a sort of loneliness.  
  
Loneliness?  
He was a robot, he had no need for companionship! This was a result of that accursed 'boredom' feeling, most likely. Even so, the robot could not shake off the need to converse with someone…  
  


The doors to the dungeons clanked open, and Metal Sonic paced inside, arms folded behind his back. Perhaps the girl would know more about these feelings… she was Mobian… no, she was a Herosider and enemy.  
Robotnik was not around. Even if he were, Metal doubted it would bother him to speak to her… And also, he felt somewhat uncomfortable when she was frightened… perhaps he could calm her by speaking to her…  
  
Oh-One stopped short. He had been previously known as Oh-Two, or Mecha Bot Two, but since Silver Sonic had been destroyed, he had been moved up to Oh-One, and RK to Oh-Three. Tails Doll was in repairs, and had been promoted to Oh-Two.  
  
Whether she was frightened or not was no concern to him. Why should he want to calm her?  
He scowled.  
All these developing emotions kept complicating things. Still, she had been kind to him…  
  
He pushed all thoughts out of his head, adopting an attitude of apathy.  
Finally, Metal Sonic arrived at the cell.  
  
"Guardian."  
  
His eyes searched around the cell for her, but she was not there.  
  
***  
  
In Knothole, Tails had not left his hut.  
He was shivering and whimpering when Sally and Bunnie approached him.  
  
"Mahles, sweetie, what's wrong?" asked the rabbit.  
  
"Did you have a nightmare?" pitched in Sally, just as gently.  
  
He nodded vigorously.  
  
"I dr-dreamt I was b-being att-attacked, and-and…"  
  
"Shh," soothed Bunnie, detaching the covers from his hands, "It's alright, sweetie."  
  
Sally went rigid.  
  
"A nightmare, did you say?" Her eyes were fixed on his throat, "What happened?"  
  
"I was being grabbed and choked- and-"  
  
He faltered, hands feeling his throat.  
  
There were angry red marks on it, streaks from where it had been grabbed, and dots from when the gloved fingers had been pressed into them, cruelly.  
  
"That was no nightmare, dear," said Bunnie gravely.  
  
The two females were beside him in an instant, their eyes leveling his.  
  
"Who did this to you, Miles? Who!?"  
  
There was a pause, and he gulped, clutching at the Rabbot, close to tears.  
  
"It was- it was-"  
  
Bunnie patted his back soothingly, and then he spluttered out:  
  
"S-sonic!"  
  
***  
  
Metal Sonic emerged from the dungeons, claws tense as he contemplated several explanations.  
Either she had escaped on her own- that possibility he doubted heavily, someone had set her free, or RK had—  
  
"Metal," growled the robot in question, stalking towards him, head lowered, eyes bright and dangerous.  
  
"RK," returned the blue robot, "The prisoner—"  
  
"Has escaped, I know."  
  
Robo Knuckles was regarding him with a dangerous speck of rage in his eyes, it made Metal uncomfortable.  
  
"Do you have any idea—"  
  
"Where is she?!"  
  
"I do not know, I was just about to—"  
  
Again, Metal Sonic was cut off, but not by words. Instead, a fist in the face stopped him short, and he was not quick enough to dodge or defend, and so, the Mecha was sent flying back.  
  
RK ploughed into him, keeping him pinned down with his superior weight and strength.  
  
"I repeat," snarled the red robot, "Where is she?!"  
  
"I do not know, Oh-Three, and no amount of violence will change that."  
  
"Wrong answer!" sneered RK, inserting his twin blades through Metal's upper torso. He missed the engine intake.  
  
"The security cameras got you," RK pressed the tips of his knuc-claws against the smaller robot's neck joint, "Caught you freeing her."  
  
Metal paused, in confusion. He had not visited the cells since his first meeting with her, other than his last visit.  
  
"I did no such thing," stated the robot neutrally, "Other than right now, I have not entered the dungeons since when she was caught."  
  
"Don't give me that!" spat RK, "Don't think I don't remember your earlier antics. Robotnik told me you saved her, and protected her, before I was built! And I know you set her free when I had her tied up, she couldn't have gotten free on her own, and I sensed you, damnit!"  
  
Metal faltered.  
  
"That was before. I believe the expression is, 'I owed her one'," he responded. It was a large stretch, but he didn't care. Robo Knuckles was younger, he had no idea what had happened between himself and the girl…  
  
"The security cameras caught you," repeated RK, stubbornly. He slammed Metal against the nearest wall.  
  
"It could have been—"  
  
"SHUT UP!" shrieked RK, "Someone's going to suffer, and if it's not going to be Mizu, then it's going to be YOU!"  
  
He brought the clawed hand forward in a swipe, and the blades scraped against the engine intake as Metal Sonic danced back.  
  
However, he was not quick enough to stop the other fist from slamming into his side.  
  
He was sent reeling, his engines screaming as they struggled against the force.  
  
RK came at him like a rocket, claws forward, digital green eyes thin and dangerous.  
  
"DIE!"  
  
Metal was the more agile of the two, and so he dodged once more, deeming the other robot dangerous.  
  
RK took to the air, hounding him down.  
  
Although Metal was nimbler of the two, he was only faster in short-term flying, and agility. When it came down to a chase, or long-term flying, his 'brother' could easily overtake him. He could sense Robo Knuckles gaining on him.  
  
Since Robotnik was away, there was nothing to keep RK from tearing Metal to pieces. He was dangerous. Oh-One needed to escape. Badly.  
  
With no other options left, Metal Sonic put on another burst of speed, and fled Robotropolis, and the other, livid robot.  
  
A few hundred miles away:  
  
"Are you positive he said me?" Sonic the Hedgehog demanded.  
  
"Yes," snapped Sally.  
  
"Sally… I would never…"  
  
"He said you," she told him, voice cold and hard.  
  
"It was night, it could have been anyone-"  
  
"He said YOU, Sonic. Your gloves and hands match the marks he has on his neck. That was YOUR quill in the cupboard, YOUR quill on Az, your scent on her, and Vector saw YOU."  
  
"Sally, please-"  
  
"I'm sick and tired of all of this, Sonic! You're lucky I haven't sentenced you to execution for all this!"  
  
"Sally!" the hedgehog pleaded, "You know how much I care about Tails, you know how much I care about _you!_ You know I'd never hurt either of you."  
  
It nearly broke his heart, when she responded, voice cold as ice,  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"Sally!"  
  
"There's no other explanation."  
  
"Yes, there is! You said so yourself! I have enemies, it could have been Metal!"  
  
"Tails said YOU."  
  
"Holograms! Sally-"  
  
"Metal doesn't know where Knothole is. Nobody does."  
  
"Sally-"  
  
"Shut up!" she screeched, "Just shut up before I have you killed!"  
  
He faltered, but glanced at her, whispering.  
  
"I'd never-"  
  
"There is no other explanation," she said, tone final, "Sonic the Hedgehog, you are banished from Knothole."  
  
"But-"  
  
"If you ever enter here again, you will be killed on sight."  
  
"SALLY!"  
  
She nodded to the other Freedom Fighters, who grabbed him by the arms, pinned them behind his back, and dragged him out.  
  
"Sally! Don't do this to me! I love you! You can't do this!"  
  
She turned away from him, and began to cry.  
  
He stopped, let his head drop, but murmured:  
  
"Sally…"  
  
"GO!" she cried, voice cracking, and the door closed between them.  
  
***  
  
Metal Sonic landed on the outskirts of the Great Forest, eyes burning with a rage that rivaled RK's.  
  
He had run all the possible suspects through his head, and was left with only one-  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog.  
  
His greatest enemy, the taunting, leering hedgehog who would gladly frame Metal and laugh as RK tore him to shreds.  
  
He did not know where Knothole was, but he did not care. His eyes burned crimson as he stalked into the forest.  
  
He was going to find Sonic.  
  
And when he did, he would pay dearly for this humiliation.  
  
Not too far away:  
  
Sonic was thrown down roughly, and the Freedom Fighters who had dragged him there left, offering not a word.  
  
Sonic lay there, for perhaps five minutes, not moving, trying hard not to cry.  
  
So very quickly.  
  
Everything had happened so very quickly.  
  
In a few days, he had lost everything he had come to love.  
Turned on by his friends, beaten up, thrown out of his home, feared by the kid that used to worship him.  
  
He was aching all over.  
  
With some effort, he stood.  
  
He had been framed.  
  
Someone was trying to turn everyone against him.  
  
They had succeeded.  
  
He raised his head, angrily brushing away the tears that threatened to fall.  
He would not cry.  
  
Instead, his mind was working.  
  
Who?  
  
And then he knew.  
  
There was only one person conniving enough. Only one person so cowardly, so cunning…  
  
Metal Sonic.  
  
The cold, cruel robot. The one who hated Sonic with a passion, who would do anything to make him suffer, no matter how underhanded.  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog's emerald green eyes glittered with icy determination, and with bitter pain.  
  
He was going to find Metal Sonic.  
And when he did, he would pay dearly for all this.


	3. Chapter 3

Sonic, Metal Sonic, etc are © to Sega.  
Eliza, etc are © to me. Don't use them without my permission.  
**Eliza is pronounced é-lee-za**, I'm persistent bugger, aren't I?  
There are many people I'd like to dedicate this story to, but I have to narrow it down to four.  
Metara, NetRaptor, Faker, and Jamie Swiftrunner. Those four are a few of the biggest Metal fans I know. And NR, I believe, was the one who first established the personalities of Metal Sonic and Metal Knuckles we use. So, you four, this is for you, enjoy!  
MS2, again, proofreader. Love her, ph33r her.  
  
_Two sides of the same coin._  
  
When Metal and Sonic did meet, nothing happened right away.  
For a moment, they just stared, surprised to find each other so quickly.  
Then, Sonic the Hedgehog let out a howl of pent up rage, and Metal Sonic did the same.  
Battered flesh rammed against damaged metal.  
Glittering emerald eyes glared into flashing rubies.  
Both were hurt, but none seemed to care.  
There was only revenge.

  
Ignoring his protesting back, Sonic forced himself into a small ball, launching himself at the robot. Metal dodged as best he could, the ball of spines grazing his side.  
Then he slammed his fist right into the hedgehog.  
For a very brief moment, Sonic was floating in the air.  
Then he was uncurled, and hurtling towards a tree.  
There was a loud crack.  
Whether it was from the tree or the teenager, is unknown.  
  
"Sonic," Metal hissed, spitting the name with revulsion as he advanced o the fallen hedgehog, claws curled and tense, "You will pay."  
  
The rage that had welled up and died in his fight with Knuckles flared up with a vengeance.  
  
"_I'll_ pay?!" shrieked Sonic, "I'LL PAY?! Oh, no, I don't think so, Metal."  
  
He sprang to his feet.  
  
"YOU'LL PAY!"  
  
Faster than the eye could follow, the blue hedgehog was upon him, fighting like a wild animal.  
  
"YOU KILLED AMY!" he screeched, slamming his own fist into the robot's intake, "You hurt Tails, and Az! You kidnapped Eliza, tried to kill Sally, and pinned all the blame on ME!"  
  
Now it was Sonic who stood over his twin.  
  
"And you're going to pay," he hissed, "I'm going to rip you apart gear by gear, YOU WORTHLESS SCRAP OF STEEL!"  
  
Slam.  
  
Slam.  
  
Slam.  
  
The attacks were so ferocious and quick Metal had to way to counter them.  
  
But his mind was working, as fast as Sonic's body was.  
  
Amy Rose? Az Spyre? Sally Acorn? He had had nothing to do with them, why was—  
  
A trap.  
  
"Sonic!" he called, but Sonic could not hear him. He was crying now, crying angry tears of pain of rage.  
  
"You fool!" spat Metal, "This is a trap! I did not touch your friends, nor did you—"  
  
Slam.  
  
[System failure] stated his computer tonelessly. [Damage levels dangerously high.]  
  
"SONIC!" screeched Metal again, "LISTEN TO ME, YOU-" he searched his data banks for a suitable expression, "THICK-HEADED MORON!"  
  
That caught his attention.  
  
"Last words?" growled the hedgehog, staying still and tense.  
  
"You have been framed. I have been framed. This is a TRAP."  
  
"Oh please," spat the hedgehog, "You expect me to believe THAT?!"  
  
"If I knew were Knothole was," said Metal, his tone cold and hard, "You would not be here to attack me."  
  
Sonic faltered.  
  
He was right.  
  
"Then who…?"  
  
Now that the adrenaline was gone, his body began to protest again. Pain hit him with a vengeance, and he crumpled to the ground, panting.  
  
Metal's internal computer persisted.  
  
[Initiating self-repairs. Self-unit must shut down.]  
  
"No!" hissed Metal, "Not now!"  
  
"Delay it!"  
  
[That is not possible]  
  
Neither of the two hedgehogs noticed another, creeping up from behind Sonic, fists clenched ready.  
  
There was a thud.  
  
Metal glanced up, red eyes flickering alarm as he noticed another hedgehog, standing over Sonic.  
  
As the shut down initiated, a fuzzy image of a clenched fist, lurching towards him filled his mind, and then there was nothing.  
  
***  
  
[Self-unit is in acceptable condition, functioning at fifty percent. Engines are unusable, and repairing.]  
  
Metal's optics flickered on, and settled.  
  
He was in a powerplant of some sort, the metallic structures and hints of toxins in the air told him that. Sonic was beside him, just getting up.  
  
"Ugh… what hit me?"  
  
Somewhere above them, a screen flickered on, revealing a blue hedgehog with emerald green eyes, grinning.  
  
The two hedgehogs glanced up with sudden sharpness.  
  
"What the—You're me!"  
  
The hedgehog on the screen flashed his pointy teeth.  
  
"Who I am doesn't matter."  
  
The voice, Sonic's voice, but with a menacing purr, resounded from all around them.  
  
"Because," he drawled on, almost in a singsong voice, "You're both gonna DIE! And so is Amy!"  
  
"Amy?!"  
  
For a fleeting instant, there was another hedgehog on the screen, pink and frightened.  
  
Click went the monitor. They disappeared.  
  
Metal Sonic had been standing calmly through all this. Now, his claws flashed out, quick as lightning, and he seized Sonic by the throat.  
  
Sonic could have sworn that Metal had smiled.  
  
"I believe the proper expression for this situation is," hissed the robot pleasantly, "This chemical plant isn't big enough for two Sonics."  
  
Sonic grabbed the hand with his own, and kicked his legs out, trying to pry Metal's claws off- and failing miserably.  
  
"Idiot," gasped the hedgehog, "I'm not the en-"  
  
Metal gave him a sharp squeeze, cutting off his response.  
  
"No," purred the robot, "You _are_ the enemy, Sonic."  
  
Sonic's head swam.  
  
He tried to cry out again, but his answer was blocked off, and trapped in his throat, by his twin's iron grip.  
  
He thought of Amy.  
  
Angry tears sprang to his eyes, and he tried to scream, to cry out, to shout.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Metal loosened his grip for a moment, crimson eyes lighting up with arrogance.  
  
"Care to beg, hedgehog?"  
  
Sonic gave a slight nod, then thrust his feet right into Metal's engines.  
  
Metal, startled, dropped him.  
  
Big mistake.  
  
His systems barely registered the situation before Sonic had slammed into him full force.  
Metal attempted to dodge.  
He failed.  
  
The two hedgehogs collided, Metal taking the brunt of the attack, reeling back.  
Sonic ploughed on, eyes hard and cold.  
Metal pushed his feet against the ground, trying to stop Sonic, or at least slow him down. His eyes pulsated as the metal ground came against his own metal hull, and he grabbed the other hedgehog's arms.  
  
Sonic's eyes widened in shock, and he tried to break his twin's grip. It didn't work.  
  
Metal, now having a proper hold on Sonic, whirled him to the right, changing their positions. The end of the platform drew nearer.  
  
Sonic pressed the soles of his shoes against the floor, panicking as he tried to stop. One of the robot's hands slipped down to his wrist, and just as they stopped, mere inches from the edge, the glove came off. They paused, as it fluttered in the air, then descended into the pool of acid.  
Before their eyes, it evaporated.  
  
Metal's eyes dimmed and he let go.  
  
Sonic stared.  
  
It was rising.  
  
The blue hedgehog staggered back.  
  
"It's r-rising!"  
  
Metal's internal computer was working furiously.  
  
"_In the state self-unit is in, if self unit comes into contact with the chemicals, they will seep thought armour, and into the core, thus resulting in destruction._"  
  
"Status of engines?"  
  
"_Still in repair," _it answered._ "Unusable._"  
  
"Metal," said Sonic queasily, his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"What?!" spat the robot, glaring at the acid balefully.  
  
"We don't have time to fight… can you fly?"  
  
"No," replied Metal Sonic curtly, "I cannot fly."  
  
"Then we're both in the same fix."  
  
Metal pondered this.  
  
"If I die, the hedgehog dies as well," thought Metal, eyes lightning up.  
  
However, it was a hefty price to pay. In fact, there would be no actual victory…  
  
"We've both been framed by that guy. He's trying to kill us. If we fight, he'll succeed, and he'll get away with all he's done."  
  
Metal titled his head to glance at the hedgehog thoughtfully.  
  
"Are you trying to suggest something, hedgehog?"  
  
"Yes," Sonic turned around, and looked him square in the eye,  
  
"I suggest we form an alliance."  
  
The Metallix unit's digital red eyes narrowed to slits.  
  
"I hope you are joking, hedgehog," said the robot softly.  
  
"I'm dead serious, Metal," his face was earnest and true.  
  
"We've got a greater enemy…"  
  
He extended a bare, peach hand to the robot.  
  
Metal eyed him disdainfully.  
  
But Sonic was right.  
An alliance was the most logical approach.

Metal took it, briefly, and shook, glaring at the Mobian. The urge to kill the teenager was tugging at him, but he ignored it. Then he dropped the hand like a hot coal.  
  
"Very well," snarled the robot, "But only until we defeat the other hedgehog, then I shall kill you."  
  
Sonic nodded.  
  
"I understand."  
  
Another sharp glance at the bubbling lake of acid. It was close.  
  
"Get on my back," instructed Sonic, crouching, "You can't fly, so I'll jump."  
  
Metal held still for a moment, resisting the urge to rip the other boy's heart out.  
  
"I doubt you can support my weight," he sneered, but got on, regardless.  
  
Sonic grunted a bit, clenching his fists at the pain, but he started running.  
  
Metal was astounded by his trust, and, yet, somehow, his hate, and the urge to kill him, was now gone.  
  
He switched his thoughts to other things.  
  
"Repair damage report."  
  
"_Thirty five percent repaired,"_ intoned the computer.  
  
"Initiate backup thrusters."  
  
"_Initiating._"  
  
It wouldn't allow him to fly, but at least, with his thrusters supporting him a little, his weight would be less strenuous on Sonic.  
  
The chemicals were rising in earnest now, nearly at their feet.  
  
Without warning, Sonic screeched to a halt.  
  
Their path was blocked.  
  
A barrier of rusty metal was located in front of them.  
A door of some sort, concluded the two silently.  
  
Metal slipped off, and Sonic spindashed against it.  
A dent.  
  
The acid was mere feet away…  
  
"Stop!" commanded Metal.

Sonic froze and Metal stepped in front of him, sinking his claws into the door.  
  
There was a screech as rust grinded against metal, and then the robot put his other hand through, gripped it, and tugged.  
  
The squeal of contacting metal pierced the air, as the door slowly separated from the wall, and then it was flung open.

"_Forty three percent._"

The blue hedgehog mumbled an expression of thanks, and Metal resumed his place on his back.  
  
The flight continued.  
  
Sonic was fast. Even tired, he was fast. However, the plant was a maze, full of twists, blockades, traps, and jumps.  
  
And the acid was faster.  
  
"_Seventy eight percent._"

Sonic's limbs were weighted, torn and battered, aching.

His body was screaming at him to stop, to rest, to lie down and accept defeat.  
  
The lingering image of Amy, frightened and desperate kept him going.  
  
They have not found her body.  
She may have been still alive.

"_Eighty six percent._"

Sonic began to slow.  
  
He began to stumble.  
  
His jumps were lower.  
  
His strides were slower.  
  
He began to wheeze.  
  
"_Ninety five percent._"

The acid had reached them.  
  
"_Ninety eight percent._"

The chemicals were flooding the platform. Sonic leapt.  
  
Not high enough.  
  
"_Ninety nine percent._"  
  
He missed the platform by feet.  
  
He gave a cry and began to fall.  
  
"Complete."  
  
"_Activate._"  
  
Metal Sonic's engines flared to life, and he shot into the air, hoisting the other hedgehog up as he did.  
  
Sonic exhaled, eyes wide, as the acid which had been mere centimeters away seconds ago, shot out of sight.  
  
They surged upwards, the chemicals far below them.  
  
The Freedom Fighter allowed himself a grin.  
  
"Go Metal!"  
  
"I should drop him," reflected Metal.  
  
His grip would not loosen.  
  
His instincts were telling him to do so, to kill him, but something else prevented him.  
  
Sonic had helped him.  
  
Sonic had trusted him, and saved him. He had been kind.  
  
Metal could not kill him.  
  
Not now.  
  
They reached the final platform.  
  
The rising stopped.  
  
Sonic let out a whoop of pure joy.  
  
"WE DID IT!"  
  
The door opened with a kick from Metal.  
  
Sonic hopped down and zoomed through it, apparently having forgotten about his pain.  
  
Metal followed.  
  
The room was bare.  
  
Four metallic walls. No one was there.  
  
The door slammed shut behind them.  
  
"Hello, gentleman."  
  
The voice, though it echoed all around the little room, came from above them.  
  
They glanced up.  
  
High above them, was a ledge.  
It was directly below a skylight, from which light burst forth.  
Upon it was a blue hedgehog.  
A blue hedgehog that looked exactly like Sonic.  
  
He was holding another hedgehog, this one pink in colour, by the throat.  
  
"Amy!" called out Sonic.  
  
"S-sonic!" she squeaked, her green eyes wide and afraid.  
  
"Leave her alone!"  
  
The other hedgehog ignored them.  
  
"I suppose," he purred, "You'd like to know who I am, and why I'm doing this."  
  
No response.  
  
The teenager below him ground his teeth together.  
  
"My name," boomed the hedgehog, "Is Anti-Sonic. I represent everything that you are not, Sonic Hedgehog. Corruption, cunning-"  
  
He squeezed Amy's throat, and she spluttered.  
  
"-Malice."  
  
Utter silence.  
  
"I used to rule this world."  
  
He smirked.  
  
"Robotropolis, or Sontropolis, as it is called, was my base. There was a small, pathetic, resistance, lead by Dr. Julian Kintobor."  
  
His eyes glittered maliciously as he said the name.  
  
"Dr. Kintobor, who was nearly completely paralyzed after I dealt with him."  
  
He laughed, a cold and flippant laugh, but then his face turned hard.  
  
"His successor was a robot named Metal Sonic."  
  
He sent a look that was full of venom to the impassive Metallix Unit.  
  
"And this robot… kidnapped one of my loyal servants, a girl who you know as Az Spyre," thundered Anti-Sonic, now very passionate.  
  
"And brainwashed her!"  
  
Sonic opened his mouth to protest, but Anti-Sonic's screech of a rant cut him off.  
  
"And because of it, she was turned against me. She opened a portal to another reality, and brought in Sonic."  
  
A brief pause.  
  
"Sonic and Metal teamed up, managed to single me out-" another venomous glance, "And through underhanded fighting, ganged up on me, and beat me until I was begging for mercy."  
  
Another pause, and the expressions of the two hedgehogs below darkened into disbelief.  
  
"I begged, but I was spared none. Sonic took my place as ruler, and Az, who had a little bit of pity, managed to convince them not to kill me."  
  
He took a breath.  
  
"Instead I was hurled inside the portal, and ended up here, battered, broken, bruised. I dragged myself to safe place, and managed to keep alive, just barely."  
  
He scowled.  
  
"And, now, for everything, I WANT REVENGE!"  
  
"That's ridiculous!" cried Sonic, tapping his foot in an agitated manner, "We didn't DO anything! It was them!"  
  
"I DON'T CARE! SOMEONE'S going to pay, and you two are the closest there is!"  
  
Metal titled his head up to meet Anti-Sonic's eyes.  
  
"So that explains why you attacked Az Spyre."  
  
"No," responded Anti-Sonic, having calmed down a bit, "She knew who I was. She was going to ruin my plans. She needed to be eliminated. Not to mention… Knuckles's fire could've used some more wood."  
  
He smiled thinly at Sonic.  
  
Sonic growled and clenched his fists.  
  
"Well," said Anti-Sonic evenly, "Now you know why I did all this, it's time to complete my revenge."  
  
There was a click, then a quiet grating sound.  
  
Sonic glanced up.  
  
Two slates of the wall had slid off, and now chemical water began to pour from them, at an alarming rate.  
  
The platform Anti-Sonic was on began to raise.  
  
"Goodbye."  
  
Sonic yelped and jumped.  
  
The water was rising rapidly, already at knee level.  
  
The platform was too high.  
  
He'd never make it.  
  
Metal gave the hedgehog a dispassionate look.  
  
His instincts told him to let the hedgehog die. Sonic had fulfilled his purpose, Sonic had saved him, he had saved Sonic, they were even.  
  
But… something else…  
  
Trust…  
  
He had treated Metal as a friend…  
  
And for some reason… For some reason…  
  
That fact made Metal feel strange.  
  
A friend… in Sonic?  
  
His greatest enemy?  
  
…  
  
Anti-Sonic, barely visible, curled the arm holding Amy back, and threw.  
  
She let out a shrill scream as she pivoted in the air and plunged towards the poisoned water.  
  
Sonic began to trudge towards her, eyes watering from the sting of the poison.  
  
He would not make it in time.  
  
Metal Sonic's engines whirled back to life, and he shot up into the air, grabbing Sonic with one hand, and rocketing towards Amy.  
  
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.  
  
Amy had stopped screaming, and was instead squeezing her eyes shut, waiting for the end.  
  
Metal was reaching for her, his speed bringing him closer to her by the second.  
  
His claws laced around her shirt.  
  
There was a jerk as he caught her, yanking her up.  
  
She breathed in little gasps, chest trembling.  
  
He searched his database for a suitable phrase.  
  
"I've got you."  
  
She snapped her eyes open, staring in half in fear, half in surprise.  
  
"M-metal?" she managed, green eyes wide.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Sonic, by this point, had regained his senses, and had managed to grasp Amy's hand and squeeze it tightly.  
  
"Amy! Thank God you're alive!" He took a breath, then added: "Are you okay?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
Sonic glanced into the digital red eyes, and said:  
  
"Thank you, Metal. Thank you so much."  
  
Metal did not reply. He had always found the Mobian need to say 'You're welcome' trivial, so he just nodded slightly.  
  
Amy did a very surprising thing, then.  
  
She hugged him.  
  
Not a true hug, but more of her putting her arms around as much of him as she could reach. In this case, it happened to be a part of his side.  
  
"Th-thank you," she sniffed, squeezing a bit.  
  
"You are welcome," he answered, "If you do not let go, not only will you slow me down, you will also get burned from my engine."  
  
She took the hint and let go.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
They were at the ceiling now, and Anti-Sonic was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Metal Sonic transferred Amy to the other hand, retracting his free one into a blaster.  
  
There was a loud explosion, and bits of debris crumpled down from where the platform formerly was, soon encountering and dissolving in the acid. Metal waited until the smoke cleared, and then veered upwards.  
  
Sunlight blinded them, and the two Mobians were deposited on the ground.  
  
Anti-Sonic whirled, eyes flashing with confusion, and then anger.  
  
Sonic and Metal exchanged glances.  
  
"You take the right side, I'll take the left side."  
  
A nod.  
  
The two hedgehogs flashed forwards.  
  
Something strange happened then.  
  
When they moved, they moved as one.  
  
Their directions, speed, movements, even their thoughts, were synchronized.  
  
Two streaks of blue, parallel in course.  
  
"Anti-Sonic!"  
  
The cry, from two voices, was loud and booming, tearing through the air.  
  
A tilt of both heads, and crimson met emerald.  
  
A nod.  
  
Both hedgehogs surged forwards, twin flashes of sapphire as they turned, and plunged for Anti-Sonic.  
  
Anti-Sonic twisted and dodged, but the scrape of claws draped against his side.  
  
He gave a cry, and then Sonic slammed into him full force. Anti-Sonic soared into the air, knocked off balance.  
  
His sneakers met the ground again, and he stumbled. He cursed and managed to regain balance, then narrowed his eyes and wheeled for Amy.  
  
A shrill scream pierced through the air as Anti-Sonic grabbed Amy, and then the sound was choked out, as his hand wrapped around her throat.  
  
She glanced at Sonic and Metal with silent pleading.  
  
A flash of pearly white teeth, and then Anti-Sonic leapt.  
  
It was no ordinary jump, for Anti-Sonic had left the roof, and was now soaring through the air, with nothing but meters of empty space beneath him.  
  
Sonic stared with numb shock.  
  
Metal was quick to disregard his own, and in a flurry of engine exhaust he had taken after Anti-Sonic.  
  
Sonic regained his sense, and followed after the robot.  
  
The spell was broken, they were two people again, and Anti-Sonic had landed was bounding away with a terrified Amy.  
  
"Wait up!" Sonic called after Metal, breathing quick as he fought to catch up with his double.  
  
With a flick of his head, Metal was glancing back at him, and then they were side-by-side.  
  
"You have more stamina than I do," gasped Sonic between breaths, "But you can't take him on alone."  
  
Eyes met again.  
  
A nod.  
  
They linked arms, and then metal surged forwards, Sonic keeping up with no trouble.  
  
The spell was back, with a vengeance.  
  
Determination flashed in both pairs of eyes, as the back of Anti-Sonic came closer.  
  
Another nod, in perfect harmony, only this time, they did not look at each other.  
  
They let go.  
  
Sonic speeding to the right, and Metal to the left; they were on each side of him in a burst of speed. The three hedgehogs were ever moving forwards, now in perfect alignment, and Anti-Sonic clutched Amy to him.  
  
"Ram him," thought both hedgehogs at once, and they veered towards him.  
  
Anti-Sonic saw the attack coming, and attempted to speed up, but he was not quick enough to dodge.  
  
He found himself wedged painfully between them both, metal and muscles grinding into his body.  
  
He growled, and a jolt of green energy shot through them both.  
  
The yelps were instant and simultaneous.  
  
Both swerved off course, tensing up with pain, as green electricity coursed through their bodies.  
  
They fell.  
  
Metal Sonic hissed in agony, then dug his claws into the ground, and pushing himself upright.  
  
The spell was broken again. Sonic gazed up, just in time to see Anti-Sonic plough into him. Another wave of electricity washed over him, and he was sent flying.  
  
Metal was barely on his feet when Anti-Sonic attacked.  
A flash, and the current streamed through him. His senses dissolved into pain, and the robot barely stopped himself from crying out.  
He tried to move, but found he couldn't.  
  
[Damage level critical]  
  


The electricity was still lancing through his circuits, keeping him paralyzed.  
  
[Damage level critical]  
  
Sonic was not doing much better.  
  
His body was stiff and rigid, silently screaming from all it had endured.  
  
Against his will, tears began to form, dripping unto the ground.  
  
He thought of Amy.  
  
Amy, who would be dead in a few minutes because of his failure.  
  
He thought of Sally.  
  
Sally, who hated him. Who would be dead or worse soon, because of Anti-Sonic. Because of his failure.  
  
He thought of Tails.  
  
Tails, who was traumatized for life. Who was probably terrified of his own shadow, because of Ant-Sonic, because of his failure.  
  
He thought of Az.  
  
Az, who was Knux's breaking point. Who could have saved them all if she hadn't been attacked. Who would be dead or worse, soon, because of Anti-Sonic, because of his failure.  
  
Because of his failure.  
  
Melissa was dead.  
  
Because of his failure.  
  
They'd all be dead.  
  
Because of his failure.  
  
Because of his failure.  
  
Because of his failure.  
  
Tears again.  
  
Filling up his eyes, pooling down his cheeks.  
  
His voice, quiet and broken, came back to him.  
  
"No…"  
  
It was barely above a whisper.  
  
Pain wracked his body.  
  
"No..!"  
  
Louder now.  
  
His lungs contracted, and from them came a cry.  
  
A cry of fear, a cry of desperation, a cry of pain.  
  
And a cry of defiance.  
  
"NOO!"  
  
The pain was gone.  
  
The pain did not exist.  
  
One thing existed: Anti-Sonic.  
  
Metal tilted his head to glance at the hedgehog.  
  
One minute he was nearly dead, the next moment he was screaming and back on his feet.  
  
Mobians never ceased to confuse him.  
  
Sonic inclined his head.  
  
The eyes, green, flashing and rippling, met Metal's.  
  
The spell was back.  
  
Metal turned to look at Anti-Sonic.  
  
Gloating, leering, laughing.  
  
Anti-Sonic had caused all this. Anti-Sonic had humiliated him. Anti-Sonic had used RK to damage him.  
  
And now he was mocking him.

A rage seized Metal Sonic then.  
  
A rage that filled him, blocking out the pain, coursing through him and pumping strength into him.  
  
Metal sprang to his feet.  
  
Anti-Sonic had stopped laughing now.  
  
He instead was staring at the other two Sonics.  
  
Staring in mute horror, staring in shock, staring… in awe.  
  
Another scream.  
  
But this time, there were two voices behind it.  
  
Two steaks of blue, one dark and metallic, another light and cobalt lurched towards Anti-Sonic.  
  
The air around the three crackled with electricity, as Anti-Sonic's mouth twisted into a snarl.  
  
Sonic and Metal looked up.  
  
His hands were glowing.  
  
He took off running.  
  
_Oh no you don't!_  
  
Both hedgehogs took after him, Sonic's feet pounding on the ground and Metal's engines flaring violently.  
  
Anti-Sonic crackled with electricity.  
  
From him, a bolt materialized, bright and flashing, long and dangerous.  
  
It swerved through the air, towards the two Sonics, and they leapt.  
  
The bolt hit the ground behind them and exploded into light.  
  
A burst of speed from the two, and another bolt crashed into the ground just left of Sonic.  
  
If one of them were to be hit, it would be all over.  
  
As their speed increased, so did the size of the bolts.  
  
"Chaos energy," hissed Metal, and Sonic turned to stare at him.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"He's using Chaos Energy," stated the robot, claws curling into his palm.  
  
Az's words echoed inside his head.  
  
'You're a Chaos Channeller, Sonic,' she had said, 'You can channel Chaos Energy from the Chaos Emeralds to your body when they're activated, and sometimes you can even activate them, then channel energy, if you concentrate hard enough.'  
  
With a jerk the hedgehog was eye-to-eye with his metallic counterpart.  
  
"Metal! Concentrate!"  
  
Metal's eyes flashed with incomprehension.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Chaos Energy! Channel it with me!"  
  
Metal glanced at the other hedgehog suspiciously, thinking he was being mocked.  
  
"Emotions! Concentrate your emotions on him!"  
  
Sonic didn't know whether Metal could do it or not, but it was worth a shot.  
  
"How!?"  
  
Sonic was no longer paying attention to him.  
  
His eyes were cold and glassy, focused on the villain-hedgehog again, all his thoughts and emotions compressed into one, directed directly at Anti-Sonic.  
  
The running continued.  
  
However, Anti-Sonic had stopped attacking.  
  
He was tense, but he had not stopped glowing.  
  
"He's preparing a large one," thought Metal, then his eyes flicked back over to Sonic, whose features had contorted and narrowed.  
  
"May as well."  
  
If Metal Sonic was known for one thing, it was apathy.  
  
Emotions rarely appeared within him, and when they did, it was rage, and it was out of control.  
  
After all, he was a robot.  
  
Robots didn't have emotions.  
  
At least, they weren't supposed to.  
  
But then again, there was a lot of things Metal wasn't supposed to do.  
  
He glanced at Sonic again.  
  
Sonic was there, at even pace with him, fists clenched, glaring ahead.  
  
Sonic trusted him.  
  
With a tilt of his head Metal was gazing at Anti-Sonic.  
  
He concentrated.  
  
Every emotion he had ever felt… rage, betrayal, anger, happiness, sadness, boredom, apathy… mentally he merged them into one and directed it towards the Anti.  
  
Anti-Sonic glanced down at his hands in surprise.  
Why was nothing happening?  
They were sparking, but barely glowing.  
He concentrated.  
Nothing happened.  
  
Feeling a tinge of dread, he glanced back.  
  
Sure enough, Sonic and Metal Sonic were there, side by side, both glowing with power.  
  
Terror began creeping over him. Sharply, he looked down. There was nothing.  
  
Metal's voice sounded, and Anti-Sonic whipped around his head to hear him.  
  
Despite the lack of a mouth, Metal seemed to be smiling.  
  
"I believe the term for this situation is," he said, voice barely above a whisper, "It's payback time."  
  
Anti-Sonic heard no more.  
  
The crackling of electricity cut off any other sounds Metal had made, and now, a huge blast of it was surging forwards, towards him.  
  
Anti-Sonic let out a screech of real fear, and began to swerve. Panicked beyond rational thinking, the hedgehog leapt as fast as he could, desperately trying to avoid the beam.  
  
The ray caught his torso, blasting him forward. His screaming was drowned out by its sound, and he landed a few hundred meters away, deathly still and crackling as the voltage coursed through his body.  
  
Sonic gave a whoop, but began to slow.  
  
All traces of Chaos Energy faded from the two hedgehogs, the adrenaline wore out, and the pain and weight of all the abuse they had suffered slammed down upon them.  
  
Sonic was the first to collapse, ten feet away the fallen Anti, while Metal turned, and managed a meter before he too hit the ground.  
  
All was silent.  
  
All was still.  
  
And then, movement.  
  
The scorched heap of Anti-Sonic began to move, to shift. He pushed himself upright, and then into a standing position.  
  
The roving green eyes darted around, finally meeting and resting on the limp body of Sonic the Hedgehog. The eyes narrowed into slits, and Anti-Sonic began to stagger towards him.  
  
The other two hedgehogs saw the movement, and silently struggled to make a movement of their own, but neither of them could muster the strength to move.  
  
With painful slowness, Anti-Sonic reached Sonic. His eyes were blazing in pure rage, as he bent down to grab the other boy by the throat.  
  
"I am the real Sonic!" he snarled, "Not some pitiful Herosider! ME!"  
  
Sonic uttered something, but Anti-Sonic did not hear him.  
  
He squeezed the Herosider's throat, and a malicious grin spread across his features.  
  
"You're going to pay, Sonic," he hissed unpleasantly, "After I kill you, I'll go after all your little friends… Kill them all… they'll think I'm you…"  
  
He threw back his head and laughed quietly, and Sonic gritted his teeth.  
  
He opened his mouth to say something, but Anti-Sonic had stopped laughing, and resumed squeezing.  
  
"How does it feel, hedgehog? To be helpless? To be in pain… to be able to do nothing but watch as you suffer…"  
  
Sonic spluttered, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted Metal. Metal was dragging himself towards them, unnoticed by Anti-Sonic. A gleam of hope appeared in Sonic's eyes, but as he met the crimson ones of his robotic twin, it died out. There was no mercy in those eyes. No pity. Nothing.  
Metal wanted to kill him just as much as Anti-Sonic did.  
  
He tried to speak to Metal, to beg, to plead for him to protect Amy and the others, but nothing came out. His vision swam as Anti-Sonic's fingers pressed down on the flesh of his throat, and his head pounded, silently screaming for oxygen.  
  
Metal raised his hand to strike, claws curled and tense.  
  
Sonic closed his eyes, waiting for the end, waiting for either him to run out of oxygen, or the sharp points of Metal's claws piercing through his chest.  
  
Neither happened.  
  
The glow of Metal's digital eyes intensified as he reached towards the two hedgehogs.  
  
His claws cut through Anti-Sonic's chest.  
  
Anti-Sonic gasped and dropped Sonic in surprise.  
  
Metal did not stop.  
  
The claws dug in deeper, until they had wrapped around the heart. Then, with merciless speed, he ripped out his hand, heart inside it, out of the body.  
  
Anti-Sonic's eyes widened in pure pain, and then he froze.  
  
And for the last time, the hedgehog made a movement. A falling movement.  
  
Sonic opened his eyes again, gaping in shock. Metal gave the heart a disgusted look and dropped it.  
  
"M-metal…"  
  
"Leave him," the robot stated, "He will decompose on his own."  
  
The robot stood up.  
  
Amy rushed to Sonic's side, slipped her arms under his shoulders and lifting him up.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Sonic shook his head free of the shock, then managed a nod.  
  
"Y-yeah… I'm f-fine…"  
  
Satisfied that Sonic could move on his own, Amy left him for a moment, approaching Metal.  
  
When he made no movement, she did that very odd something again.  
  
She hugged him.  
  
He made no sound or move as she wrapped her arms around him, crying softly, and whispering thanks to him. He simply stared ahead, perhaps wondering when she was going to let go.  
She held him only for a moment, then hastily let go, and returned to Sonic.  
  
Metal spoke, eyes on the hedgehog.  
  
"When we meet again, I will have no mercy on either of you," he said, voice quiet and strained.  
  
Sonic nodded.  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Nor will I have mercy on any of your Herosider friends. We are enemies, Sonic Hedgehog, do not allow yourself to forget that."  
  
One look at Metal's face told Sonic that his hate had not disappeared. He swallowed, then nodded again.  
  
"Thank you so much, Metal… for everything."  
  
Metal Sonic left without replying.  
  
***  
  
The next morning, Knothole was in for quite a shock.  
  
Sonic had returned, with Amy, and they were both babbling out explanations.  
  
Sally just stared.  
  
If anyone still had thoughts of killing Sonic, or throwing him out, they were discarded immediately when a rather irate Az stomped into the village, still in a hospital gown.  
  
The hybrid folded her arms, glaring at anyone who stared at her.  
  
"Soul called me telling me that there was a breech of realities, from the Antiverse. Apparently Anti-Sonic had gotten here, and was uttering revenge against Sonic and Metal. I was going to come and tell you guys, but the son-of-a-gun was two steps ahead of me, and cornered me before I could make it to the teleporters."  
  
Sonic and Amy said their parts, and the Freedom Fighters hung their heads.  
  
"I'm surprised at you, Princess. You and Metal both. You suspected Sonic… of trying to poison you, and Metal of looping the video cameras and setting Eliza free… I mean, Sonic's nowhere near smart enough to do any of those things. That should have been your first clue."  
  
"Exac- HEY!"  
  
Sally barely managed to stifle her smile, but Sonic looked indignant.  
  
"If you weren't a sick, weak, short—"  
  
The flat of Az's scimitar smacked against his cheek, and he cried out.  
  
"OW! You monster, I just got done dealing with Knuckles, Metal, and Anti!"  
  
He grabbed the offending the blade and hurled it into an empty lot.  
  
"You're getting that," she growled, eyes narrowed.  
  
"Go get it yourself, Nymphy."  
  
Her eyes blazed, and she jumped forwards to hit him, but he had already retreated to the safety of his hut, and Knuckles had arrived, and grabbed her upper arms.  
  
"You, doctor, now."  
  
Az snarled a curse at the hedgehog, but allowed herself to be towed away.  
  
  
Sonic lay down on his bed, wrapping the blanket about himself and staring at the ceiling vacantly.  
  
Metal had not hissed his name. He had said it normally, and he had also spared them both, and saved Amy. This mystified Sonic.  
  
He had always seen Metal as a heartless demon, and though Metal would never have admitted it, he had saved them both and not attacked them.  
  
Sonic allowed himself a smile.  
  
"Eliza was right about you, Metal… you're nowhere as evil as you make yourself out to be."  
  
When Sally came to check on Sonic, she found that he was fast asleep.  
  
The end.  
  
And the moral of this story is- Metal needs a hug. And a cookie. Aww.

  
Five months. FIVE MONTHS. Oh Em Gee, I'm so SORRY .__. I was busy and sick and stressed and insert excuses here. But it's done now. My defining work, my Parallel.  
I love Amy too much to kill her, and I'm terribly sorry for the cruddy climax, and I hope you all enjoyed it.  
  
Love you all. 3 Yes, even you, little Timmy.  
  
This has been a Dr. Sipp production. I love saying that.  
  
[Shameless plug mode] For more insanity and a lovely 'Coming Soon' page, visit Twisted Imagination, at sipp.kiwiwolf.net [/Shameless plug mode]  
  
Knuckles and the Chaotix timeline:  
  
Season I  
  
**Anti-Climax: Knuckles the Echidna is the Guardian of the Floating Island, which is held up in the air by the power of the Master Emerald, an ancient, powerful jewel. Behind him, every step of the way, is his team, the Chaotix. And together, they have to ward off any evil that tries to claim it... but can they?  
  
Eliza's Birthday Bash: Eliza's tenth birthday has arrived. And Metal Sonic is going to make sure it's her last.  
  
Armour of an Echidna: A cunning villain will attack not the body, nor the spirit of the hero. He will attack the heart. Can Mighty the Armadillo find and rescue his ward before she succumbs to the peaceful slumber of death?  
  
A Squirrel Walks Among Us: Whatever happened to Ray the Flying Squirrel? The answer, inside. Prelude to Trapped.  
  
Trapped: For the first time in his life, Knuckles the Echidna is helpless. Helpless to protect his island, helpless to stop his sister from dieing, and helpless to end the killer's reign of terror.  
  
Behind Steel Doors: Metal Sonic is rebuilt, with upgrades and a thirst for revenge. And the younger Freedom Fighters just happen to stumble into the abandoned city of Robotropolis, and his line of vengeance.  
  
Desert Rose: There is a new recruit working alongside Shadow and Metal Sonic in Robotropolis. A sick echidna girl that manages to find her way into their hearts. But some things are too good to last, aren't they? Prelude to Second Nature.  
  
Second Nature: A scavenger hunt for the Chaos Emeralds quickly becomes a nightmare for the Freedom Fighters when they learn that Robotnik has unleashed his prized creations, instructing them with the sole purpose of retrieving the emeralds, and killing anything or anyone who would stand in their way.  
  
Simplicity: A new girl comes to the island, claiming to be a Guardian of some sort. Things take a more nauseating twist, however, when Robo Knuckles kidnaps the girl, for his own twisted intentions... which, of course, involve the legendary Super Emeralds.  
  
Corrosion: The Season I Finale. A threat far greater than Dr. Robotnik takes over, using Robotropolis as a base of operations. And from there, world domination. What's left of the Freedom Fighters and the Chaotix find themselves going to the most unlikely of allies for help. But, the question is, will he help them?  
  
Season II  
  
Hot Flashes: The Season II Premiere. A new prototype of robot is released on the Floating Island. Its objective- to get close enough to a member of the Chaotix to gain access to the Hidden Palace and steal the Master Emerald. However, what happens, when the robot becomes -too- close?  
  
Sunrise: With each passing day, Knuckles is growing edgier and edgier. Eliza runs away from home, embarking on a quest to find her hero, and Sonic decides he wants to accompany her. And with Sonic, there's nothing but mayhem involved. 

Requiem: After Dimitri lost all his power at the hands of Knuckles, the Dark Legion manages to infuse his shrivelled body with cybernetic parts. He wants revenge. And he will stop at nothing to attain it.  
  
Parallel: Amy Rose's murder is just the first of a line of crimes, committed by... Sonic? Who is it that's trying to frame him? And more importantly, why doesn't anyone believe his innocence? And to what lengths will he go to prove himself?  
  
*Double-Blade: Limrik tries to sell Eliza to Robo Knuckles, and his plan backfires. He soon finds himself having to rely on the echidna, if he ever wants to escape RK's wrath. While all this is happening, somebody is desperately trying to make Az lose her Guardianship, and it's up to her and Knux to find out who, and stop them.  
  
*Back to the Future: Sonic is transported five years into the future, where a new dictator rules. There is a small band of rebels, but they are losing bitterly. Can he once again bring hope amidst the despair and desolation that is Mobius?  
  
*Worlds Apart: Robo Knuckles is charged with the duty of taking care of a mobian; a soft, quiet girl who has lost the will to live.  
  
*Psychosis: After all of the hardships that he's suffered, Knuckles the Echidna breaks down. And Robotnik plans to take advantage of the moment.  
  
*Shades of Red: Knuckles is killed on a mission to find his father in Robotropolis. As if things weren't bad enough, the remainder of the Dark Legion chooses that moment to strike the Floating Island. Even with the support of the Chaotix, does Eliza have what it takes to be a Guardian?  
  
*Bondage: A chameleon who claims to be Espio's cousin, arrives at the Island, wanting Espio to join his 'organization'. Little does the Chaotix know, the 'organization' is a group of conspirators, aiming for nothing less than complete takeover of the Floating Island.  
  
*Escape Velocity: Season II finale, and the grande finale of the series.  
Divide, render, conquer. The best way to obliterate a team is one by one. Four villains. Six heroes. Knuckles and the Chaotix face their hardest challenge yet.  
  
  
**: not written yet  
**: incomplete. 


End file.
